Five months after a surprise leadership shakeup at Hallmark Media, the subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Inc. that runs Hallmark’s cable networks (Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, and Hallmark Family) and the streaming platform Hallmark+, the company has made more changes at the top.
On June 2, 2025, Hallmark Media announced via press release that it has a new president. John Matts has stepped into the role after serving as the company’s chief financial officer since 2022. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has also been Hallmark Media’s chief operating officer since January 2024.
The latest leadership change at Hallmark likely has fans wondering whether Matts plans changes at Hallmark’s cable channels or streamer. Here’s what we know…
Will Hallmark Channel’s Programming Change Under New President?
In Matts’ role as president of Hallmark Media, according to the June 2 press release, he’ll be based in the company’s New York office and “oversee key divisions including advertising sales, culture, distribution, finance, research, and strategic insights, continuing to drive growth and innovation across the organization.”
He’ll report to Hallmark Cards Inc. CEO Mike Perry, who said in a statement, “John’s proven leadership, strategic insights, and deep understanding of our brand, business, and the industry make him ideally suited to drive the evolving Hallmark Media business into the future.”
Meanwhile, Darren Abbott, who was named Hallmark’s Chief Brand Officer in January, will also continue to report to Perry — not Matts — in his role “overseeing brand development, programming and content, creative product development, brand licensing, marketing, communications, and branded experiences across the Hallmark Media and Hallmark Product & Retail organizations.”
With Abbott continuing to manage programming decisions, Matts won’t likely have much involvement in the actual movies and series produced and aired by Hallmark. But his decisions could impact how and where that programming airs.
For instance, many fans have been buzzing about whether major changes and cuts are coming to Hallmark Mystery, given that so few new mystery movies have been released in 2025. The handful premiering this year — including an upcoming “Hannah Swensen Mystery” on June 22 — are airing on Hallmark Channel, either instead of or in tandem with Hallmark Mystery. The future of Hallmark Mystery is likely a complicated decision based on budget, branding, and broadcasting trends.
Hallmark Channel’s Leadership Has Changed Multiple Times in Recent Years
GettyMatts’ appointment to president is the latest of several leadership changes at Hallmark Media since 2020, when it cut ties with Bill Abbott. He spent 11 years there as president and CEO, and went on to launch Great American Family.
Abbott was replaced by Wonya Lucas, who served as CEO of Hallmark Media for three years, until announcing her departure in late 2023. At the time, it was announced that Perry would work in tandem with Lisa Hamilton Daly, Hallmark Media’s executive vice president of programming, to oversee the cable channels and streamer.
But in a surprise shakeup in January 2025, the company announced that Hamilton Daly’s position had been eliminated, per Deadline.
In addition to naming Matts president of Hallmark Media on June 2, the company also announced that Jessica Tasler Noble had been named Hallmark Media’s chief culture officer, reporting to Matts. Tasler previously worked as Hallmark Product & Retail’s senior vice president of employee experience.
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Hallmark Media Names New President: Is He Planning Programming Changes?